A bidder on Christie’s LIVE, the house’s internet sales website, bought Edward Hopper’s “October On Cape Cod” for $9.6 million yesterday, making it the most expensive artwork ever auctioned online. It was also easily the top lot of the house’s “American Art” sale, which totaled $38.5 million.

“This record-setting online price is a testament to clients’ embrace of the online bidding option as a regular and integral component of doing business with Christie’s,” said CEO Steven P. Murphy in a statement.

Last year, Artnet set an online auction record with the sale of one of Andy Warhol’s “Flowers” for $1.3 million. Outside of fine art, Sotheby’s sold a print of the Declaration of Independence online in 2000 for $8.1 million, and Christie’s previous online record was $3.3 million for a bronze Shang Dynasty wine vessel in 2010.

— Rachel Corbett

Tags: Auctions, Christie's, Christie's LIVE, Edward Hopper, Online Auctions, Rachel Corbett